NYCPHP Meetup

[Kenneth Downs]

Allen, I'll give it a go.

> I have an Open Source PHP/MySQL project I've been doing solo for quite a
> while, and I need some opinions on the value of continuing it.

We have to first ask the question, what is its value to you?  Do you use
it to make a living, or for a hobby project, or for just the fun?

It sounds like you are asking other people whether to continue, but that
would only be a valid course of action if it has no value to you.  If it
has value to you then of course you continue on those grounds.  That
leaves as a separate question whether it has value to anybody else.

>
> For a long time I've thought of this as an Open Source project, even
> gave it a name and got a spot on Sourceforge a few months ago, started a
> blog and a wiki to organize and publicize my thoughts on it, and spent a
> good deal of energy trying to separate the generic reusable parts from
> the "my database app" parts. So now I actually have a project that is
> self-contained and could be used to create Web-based database apps
> similar to what you might create with MS-Access.

I think I can relate.  I've got my own open source db system, which I now
shamelessly plug here:

http://dhost2.secdat.com

but what you are not saying, though it seems to scream out from the post,
is that there is not much interest in it.  Am I correct?  Is the question
really, should I maintain this public project that nobody(for appropriate
values of 'nobody') is using?


>
> I personally think it's pretty neat, and I keep using it because I like
> it and I couldn't find anything better.

But do you think its insanely great?  Open Source is just like commercial
stuff in that people go with the projects whose creators believe their
projects are amazing and wonderful.

> But the effort of using it
> myself is significantly less than what it takes to make sure it's
> acceptable as a public project.

A businessman's answer is to devote resources to the public project in
proportion to the expected payback.  If you are doing it for fun and glory
it is time vs. glory.  If you are hoping to attract programmers to it and
expand your company's credibility, gain colleagues you can hire or be
hired by, then you have to weigh the value of these benefits against your
time in promoting it.  What kind of track record can you look back on to
inform the answers to these questions?

> And recently I've started to think that
> maybe the PHP communitye doesn't need a package like this.  So I have to
> assess whether to keep investing in the public angle or just go back to
> doing it for myself.  I'd like you're opinion.

When you say "...maybe the PHP community..." I'm again guessing that you
are not seeing the interest you hope.  Do you talk it up at user's
meetings?  Do you mention it to colleagues at every opportunity?  Do you
believe it can change a person's life for the better (I don't mean
blinding light religious experience, I mean getting home an hour earlier
to see kids, swim in pool, etc.) and do you tell people so?  How do they
respond?

Key question: Is anybody using it besides you.  If not, why not?  What do
people tell you?

Since I have also written a database-centric PHP framework, I'd be happy
to ruthlessly challenge all of your assumptions and you could do the same
to mine.  Would such an exchange benefit anybody?  Would they learn from
the approaches you've taken?  Does it benefit anybody to know your
approach even if they don't use your system?

Hope this helps.  Its no easy thing to write a framework, and no small
matter to leave one behind.  I've written 4 and left behind 3 (Fox Dos,
Fox Windows, VFP Windows all abandoned for PHP Linux), and was lead
architect on one written by somebody else, its easy to become *very*
attached to them, and its always healthy to ask, "Is this what I should be
doing?"

-- 
Kenneth Downs
Secure Data Software
631-379-0010
ken at secdat.com
PO Box 708
East Setauket, NY 11733